Roboticus giftus

That's latin for a robot gift.

If you haven't been onto etsy, firstly you are banned from the internets.  Secondly, if you are even remotely crafty you have to love the cross-stitch designs of andwabisabi.

This is a handmade gift (as this is handmade gift year) for a friend in the UK who unsurprisingly, loves robots.  She also has a cat called Rebus.  Clearly very good stock.

Buying moda charm packs in Australia

I love moda charm packs.  Yes, for the traditionalist it can be the lazy way to quilt, but seriously I don't have the financial backing to buy enough of a stash to ever have anything that matches.

But moda charm packs are always so well priced in the US....but expensive here.  Until I stumbled across this gem of a shop!

Want it, need it, quilt store  

I bought three charms packs and express registered post for $40!  EPIC WIN!

Christmas presents...and future procrastination starts........now.....or maybe later....

Burp cloths from a made by rae tutorial

5" blocks from a layer cake

The finished product :)

Well it's been a busy sewing time around here...but the problem with schneaky projects as gifts is that you can't write about them....

But following a dear friends baby shower, I gave her a stack of burp cloths from this made by rae tutorial which is super easy and just great to not think about things like absorbency....I defer to people who already have little people in this regard completely.  

Totally recommended as a baby shower gift :)

What kind of serger to get?

I'm lusting after a serger at the moment, but as much as I want one, I'm also intimidated by so many little threads....

From what is out on the blogs the Brother 1034D is a pretty amazing machine, but has been replaced now. And it's $700.  Eeeeeeeeeeek.

Sad face :(

Kate's fat cat

After making the original fat cat a second was requested.  This fat cat is not quite as obese as the first fat cat as seen here.  This fat cat has a few improvements, namely better ears, arms and a tail.

Working in felt is quite rewarding in terms of finishing a project quickly, but it can be quite fiddly when sewing on all the features.  I tried using my sewing machine to do some of the applique, but it's hard to make the stitch coverage even.  Then again with practice it could save me alot of time.  This fat cat was getting sewn together in the car on the way to the party.   I like to live dangerously.  (also known as foolishly disorganised).

Actually, fat cat number two is still not even as fat as the real life model.  Mei Ling likes to sit in the centre of the action.  Also known as whatever I am sewing at the moment.

Nursery curtains

Something that has been taking up a considerable amount of time has been the sewing of curtains for the nursery.  We decided to paint the nursery blue, even though we don't know the gender of the baby.  Even if it's a girl, there is no bloody way that room would be painted pink.  Or purple.  Worst case scenario we put some decal clouds up on the wall.  Gender neutral FTW.          

The fabric was in Spotlight recently, and while I hadn't even been thinking about curtains really - the blue dots on the fabric were the exact same blue as the walls.  I'm pretty sure that's fabric stash fate calling right there.  So I lashed out and bought 4m of the fabric, and 4m of blockout fabric.  Which was a staggering $80.  But it was just sooo matchy matchy.  

Anyway...these are the most time consuming tab top curtains you could ever see.  After spending $80 on the fabric, there was no way in hell there was going to be a mistake in the cutting.  Measure 6 times then cut.  Maybe.  It probably didn't need the blockout lining behind it, as I've got a white curtain behind - but  if it helps this baby sleep (when it arrives) then it was worth every cent.  

The curtain rail is the fantastic ikea Hava curtain rail which is super easy to put up (especially when you make your husband do it) and has the double layer of curtain well spaced.  We've used this curtain rod style in a few rooms with the single windows as it's a simple and classic style.  Not a fleur de lys in sight.

Lady grey sewalong update

All the way back in September I decided to participate in the lady grey sewalong.  Then I started doing local sewing classes and realised I had no.clue.at.all.

AND nearly a year later, I've decided I'm ready to commit.  Being a preggosaurus, I've gotten rather sick of the idea of sewing maternity clothes, it's cheaper usually to buy newborn clothes, and there is no way I'm making clothes to fit post baby body as I'm yet to get the measurements.

The lady grey jacket however is fairly forgiving due to the pattern shaping, and by the time I finish up sewing classes in 5 weeks (before my 'confinement') hopefully it will be finished.  So far all the lining pieces as cut, and the jacket pieces, this monday it's time to cut the interfacing and start assembling!

The pattern is from the lovely Colette patterns 

One yard wonder - fold up apron

I completed the second one yard wonder, a child-sized apron.  But wait, it doubles as a bag!  Unfortunately I don't have any small children this will fit - but we've got one on the way :P

The one yard wonder book is quite a good sewing book for beginners, a few really useable patterns.  A few very random things like legwarmers - but hey, what's not to love about the 80's?

New sewing machine - singer

I LOVE my local op shops.  I get awesome sewing patterns from there.  Going rate?  50 cents.  And just before christmas?  A 1973 singer sewing machine.  In it's original case.  With the original receipts (FYI, $110 in 1974 - and with the time value of money thats $763.26)

What did I buy it for?  $20.

It sews like an absolute dream, and even buttonholes come out very pretty.  The only problem?  My desk isn't quite sturdy enough and when she's going full pelt, then the desk gets the speed wobbles.

Sorry trusty toyota, but as you've just been relegated to quilting duties.  Only.

Husband shorts

Peter from Male Pattern Boldness has a great post about learning to sew...which I read after finishing my first attempt at a pair of mens pants.  And don't get me wrong, the pants are fairly wearable.  Providing you don't want to wear them out of the house.



But following Peters advice, I just tried again, but this time with a pair of shorts, and you can really tell the difference between the first and the second time.  Which is very much the same for everything I've made.  Really puts forward the argument of making a muslin, but I'm usually far too impatient for that.  Such a fool.  Except for the lady grey jacket I'm making, which has a full bona fide muslin.

Anyway, back on track.  The shorts are actually made from fabric bought to be the lining of the original pants, so I skimped a little on quantity.  Which has lead to the only problem with the shorts, there wasn't enough fabric to do back pockets.  Which according to the husband makes them look like girl shorts.

Too bad.  If you don't like them make your own.  Or at least be quiet and I'll make a third even better pair!  And maybe next time I will iron them before blogging them.

Maybe.

Blue silk dress

This project was my first foray into sewing with silk, and I was trying to finish it in time for my work christmas party.  However that didn't quite pan out, but I did finish just in time to find it not fit around my belly anymore (due to baby, not pies)

Overall I'm pleased with the fit, I had to go down a few sizes and the pattern had far to much ease, and then do a full bust adjustment...which in this kind of pattern pretty much just meant to cut the chest patterns out of a larger size.

The way to make sewing with silk easy I've found is to use toilet paper inbetween the seams to stabilise them as I sew, and then it's quick to remove once sewn.

And the fabric?  $9 a metre.  Alannah Hill.  Heart.